Big D and Little D
by Animefantasy1213
Summary: Basically a collection of one-shots about the eldest and youngest of the bat children. It's a collection of Dick and Damian fluff. Update, the Wayne household gets a visitor from social services.
1. Still with us

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any of the characters.

So this is my first Batman fanfiction. I watched Young Justice got hooked on Dick Grayson so I watched other shows and read a few comics.

By the way I change some things. I know that they live in Wayne Towers but in my stories they live in the mansion. Dick and Alfred names change depending if it's from Damian's POV or not. Hope you enjoy, criticism is welcome.

The spacious room was completely dark within; windows covered and lights turned off as the youngest child of the Wayne family slept. That is until someone threw open the drapes and lit up the room. Damian growled as sunlight brightened the room, waking him from a deep sleep. He opened his eyes, squinting through the light to see the figure standing at the foot of his bed.

"Go away Pennyworth." Damian muttered sleepily as he pulled the covers over his head.

"I am afraid I cannot do that Master Damian," Alfred said as he walked around the bed towards the door, "Master Richard sent me to wake you for school."

At this Damian pulled the cover back revealing his blank expression. The ex-assassin was confused, though he didn't show it. Grayson _always_ woke him up on school days, usually by slamming open Damian's door and yelling good morning with that stupid smile of his. Pennyworth only woke him on weekends.

'Grayson probably had to go into the office early because he's been slacking again.' Damian scoffed mentally as he got out of bed and began to get ready.

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Damian sat down at the table to wait for breakfast and quickly read through the _storybook_ that was supposed to be his classes reading homework for the week. Fourth grade was just too easy, it was child's play; Damian was no child. The sound of a chair being pulled out roused Damian from his mental grumbling.

He felt his eyes unconsciously widen as Grayson sat down for breakfast. Grayson never just sat down. He would always chat with Pennyworth, try and steal a bite of something before it was served, and he _always _said good morning to everyone when he entered the kitchen. This morning he'd done none of the above.

Not that Damian was complaining. Grayson's friendly social tendencies were extremely annoying…but they had become a morning routine for Damian. Suddenly having Grayson quiet was unsettling to say the least. Damian turned to face him determined to know the reason for his change.

"What's wrong Grayson? Did one of your girlfriends stand you up?" Damian tried to make his words sound spiteful but anyone who knew the young boy well enough would hear the underlying concern.

Dick looked up blankly from the table he'd been staring at. "Nothing's wrong Damian," He said as Alfred approached with breakfast, Grayson grimaced at the food before saying, "None for me Alfred I…have to go." He waved the butler off before getting up and leaving.

To say Damian was shocked would be an understatement; he was dumbstruck. Grayson didn't smile, he didn't say goodbye, _and_ he had refused food. Something was very wrong with him and Damian had no idea what. His face must have showed his internal distress because as Pennyworth put his breakfast down he said,

"You are no doubt wondering whatever the matter with Master Richard is." As Damian composed his face and nodded Alfred sighed, "Today is anniversary of Master Richard's parent's deaths," Seeing Damian looking a little baffled he went on, "His parents John and Mary Grayson were killed in front of him when he was a bit younger then you. He was very close to them, and to this day their deaths cause him immeasurable grief."

As Damian ate he mulled this new information over. Grief was a believable answer for Grayson's behavior since he was such a bleeding heart. But if his parents had died so long ago, could he really still be grieving? Did it really hurt you so much to lose a loved one? Damian wondered while being driven to school. He wouldn't know. He'd never loved someone. He'd respected his father but he barely knew him. Grayson's situation confused Damian and although he quickly dismissed the thought, he couldn't help but wonder if it would hurt him when Grayson died.

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The drive home from school was silent. Alfred drove while Damian planned his conversation with Dick, whose grieving had led Damian to question some things that he'd learned as an assassin. By the time they'd arrived back at the mansion Damian knew everything that he would as Dick.

Damian wandered through the manor making sure to check every room, including the Batcave, but he found no sign of Grayson. He became a little… worried as he continued to search for his brother. Damian knew Grayson was home and emotionally unstable. He may have done something foolish because of his fragile state. Finally deciding that his search was going nowhere, Damian went to ask Alfred about Dick's whereabouts.

"Pennyworth," Damian said as he spotted the butler dusting a picture frame, "where is Grayson?" The boy's demeanor making it clear that he was demanding an answer.

Alfred turned towards the boy, eyebrows raised, and announced, "Master Richard, to the best of my knowledge, is currently visiting Wayne Manor's cemetery." Alfred then went to resume dusting as Damian went to find Dick.

Damian walked quickly over the grounds of Wayne Manor. He knew where the cemetery was. He'd gone there once himself to see his grandparent's graves. Looking back now he did remember seeing two other graves but he had dismissed them as unimportant. Now he made his way into the clearing that was the graveyard and froze.

There, crouched beside the graves that now numbered five, was Grayson. He had his hand on one of them and he was shaking. No…not shaking, he was sobbing! Damian felt his mouth drop open. Dick Grayson, the first robin, the current batman, the smiling big brother, was on the ground _sobbing!_ A Batman shedding tears went against everything Damian had ever learned about the Dark Knight and Dick Grayson crying just seemed wrong. Was losing a loved one so painful that it could cause a happy person like Grayson to cry?

Damian knew he should do something; leave or offer some form of comfort. But Damian had never seen someone close to him cry; he had no idea how to approach this. So he just stood there and watched as Grayson's shoulders shook with silent sobs. Slowly Grayson's sobs began to fade and the tears stopped flowing. It was then that he noticed Damian.

"Damian, come here." Dick didn't look up from the graves as he spoke. Although Dick's voice was soft Damian was still hesitant as he approached, not sure if Dick was angry with him.

When Damian joins him beside the graves Dick looks up and offers him a weak smile. "Damian, meet my parents." Dick took a breath to collect himself before continuing, "Mom. Dad. This is my youngest brother, Damian. I'm sort of looking after him now so I thought you should meet him." Dick gave the confused boy another weak smile.

Damian looks at the two graves for a moment before returning his eyes to Dick's, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Why are you introducing me to the graves of your dead parents?" Damian asked, noting with a twinge of guilt how Dick flinched slightly when Damian referred to his parents as dead.

Dick looks away and sighs before returning his gaze to hold Damian's. "People you love who die…they're…never really gone." Seeing Damian confused once more, Dick tries to find a better explanation.

"Sometimes, when you're lonely, you'll suddenly feel like you're not alone. When you do something great you can almost feel their hand on your shoulder; you can almost hear their voice whisper in your ear, filled with pride. The people we love and the people who love us, they're always watching over us Damian." Dick finished his speech, looking over at the newest grave in the cemetery.

Damian followed Dick's eyes to where they rested on Bruce's grave. Damian stared at his father's grave for a long time, trying to understand Dick's words. The concept of the dead still watching over the living wasn't one Damian had heard in the league of assassins. Finally he stirred, turning from the grave and looking at the ground he quietly asked,

"Do you think that father is still with us, watching over us?" A small red flush appeared on the boy's cheeks, embarrassed to have voiced his thoughts out loud.

Dick however smiles at the question; his first real smile of the day. He gets up, still smiling, and pulls his little brother against his side with one arm. The younger Wayne began to struggle but stopped when Dick spoke.

"Yeah, Bruce is still with us." Dick squeezes Damian's shoulder as his grin widens. "In fact, I think I see a bit of him right here," tapping Damian on the chest before tapping himself on the chest, "and right here."

Damian flushed once more but instead of turning away or twisting out of Dick's embrace he allowed the arm to stay around his shoulders as he turned his face into Dick's chest. The two brothers stood together until the sun began to set, then they slowly made their way back to the mansion; Dick's arm still circled around his little brother's shoulders.


	2. Never Alone

Never Alone

So here's the second one-shot of the collection. Cause I just love the Dick and Damian dynamic. Bruce and Dick are, of course, the best but nothing beats brotherly bonding! When Dick and Alfred are called by their last names its Damian POV. Jason may be tad bit OC + they live in the mansion not the penthouse.  
>Disclaimer: I don't own Batman nor do I own any of the characters.<p>

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An orange glow illuminated the high rise buildings of Gotham city as the sun rose into the sky. It seemed, to the residents of the city, a morning like any other. But they were unaware of the blood that had been shed on their roof tops last night. In the batcave, however, this morning was different.

Dick Grayson sat on a table in the med bay trying not to flinch as Alfred cleaned the fresh bullet wound in his chest. He'd been shot countless times before; it was really nothing new…except that this bullet had barely missed his heart. Damian stood leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed, his glare deepening with every pained noise Dick made as the bullet was removed.

It had been a simple patrol Batman and Robin had been staking out one of the warehouses after they'd gotten a tip that a drug trade was happening here. Laying low had been Dick's idea, they'd wait until the deal went down, and then get them all. Nothing should have gone wrong. But they'd been waiting for hours and no one had showed; so needless to say, Damian wasn't thrilled.

"_This is a waste of our time Batman," Robin hissed as they crouched on the rooftop, "No one is coming. We could have done something worthwhile but you were foolish enough to trust a tip from a felon and now we just wasted a whole patrol for nothing!"_

_Batman looked down into the warehouse for a few moments more, and then sighed. "You're right…but the tip…I could have sworn he was telling the truth." Batman said as he began to stand._

"_Your tip was right."_

_Both Batman and Robin whipped around at the sound of the voice, hands flying to their utility belts. There standing in front of them was their (former) brother Jason, with his red hood off and domino mask on, holding a gun pointed straight at Batman's head._

_Batman and Robin took their hands off their weapons at the sight of the gun although they stayed poised; ready for a fight. Robin glared at Jason through his mask._

"_What are you doing here Todd?" Robin snarled, taking a step forward to try and get close enough to take the gun. But Jason quickly pointed the gun at Robin's head as he stepped forward, before smirking at his question._

"_What am I doing here?" Jason let out a harsh laugh before his face began to darken, "I was here to meet a few drug dealers and introduce them to my gun when they got wind that somebody tipped off the Bat. So now they don't trust me and I'm forced to let those pieces of scum run back into the gutter."_

_Jason took a step forward his angry expression changing to a smirk as he looked at Batman. "You know…I think their escape from justice is all your fault Dickie- bird," He said as he pointed the gun at Batman once more, "and I think you should pay for letting them go free." As he spoke the last word he quickly spun the gun towards Robin's head and fired._

Obviously Damian wasn't shot. Dick had jumped out in front of him at the last moment. It was only through sheer luck that the bullet hadn't killed the idiot… and it was only because of him that the bullet didn't kill Damian. The realization that Dick would willingly sacrifice his life for Damian's unsettled the young bird. In the league of assassins you took care of yourself or you died, simple as that. But Batman and Robin watched each other's backs to an extent that Damian hadn't truly understood before. It set him on edge to know that if he messed up Batman could die.

Sensing Dick's eyes on him Damian quickly made his face go blank and, determined to not let his inner conflict show, stalked towards where Alfred had just finished bandaging Dick's torso. Dick gave a weary smile as he spotted the disgruntled Robin coming his way and prepared himself for the inevitable tongue lashing. Damian stopped in front of his mentor and looked up at him glaring.

But as Damian opened his mouth to tell him off for being so clumsy and incompetent the words died in his throat. For once Damian didn't see an unworthy Batman, he saw his older brother with bloody bandages wrapped around a wound that should have been on Damian's head. He stood there, just glaring at Dick with his mouth opened, until he realized he really had nothing degrading to say.

So the 10 year old vigilante turned on his heels, without one criticism and started up the stairs to the mansion. Leaving a very surprised and confused Dick Grayson alone in the Batcave, wondering what was wrong with Damian.

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The digital clock by Damian's bedside read 5 am when he finally decided to get up after a sleepless night. Usually when he returned from patrol he would climb into his bed and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. Tonight, for some unfathomable reason, sleep wouldn't come. Even though Damian had been laying on his back staring at the ceiling for 3 hours now, wanting desperately to sleep his mind was to preoccupied to rest.

Last nights close call with Jason was...troubling Damian, more than he'd care to admit. That situation nearly killed another Batman, something Damian didn't want. Ever since he was little Damian had heard stories about his father, the world's greatest detective, and how he seemed to be invincible. But now Damian had witnessed the death of his father and nearly witnessed the death of the second Batman last night. Suddenly the stories of Batman which Damian had grown up hearing, sounded very far-fetched. Batman wasn't invincible, he could die; that...scared Damian a little.

Letting out a sigh of irritation over his lack of sleep Damian got up off his bed. He stretched and was about to go wake Grayson when something caught his eye. Damian walked over to his bureau to look at the picture of his father Pennyworth had placed there. He knew that his father was dead and that sometimes distressed him but he'd never really got to know Bruce Wayne, nor the Batman that he was. Damian's fingers reached up to touch the picture of his father's smiling face before his eyes flicked to the second picture which Pennyworth had placed on his bureau.

A young Grayson smiled out from the frame, eyes alight with joy as he held a German Shepard puppy on his lap. Damian scoffed, he may not have known his father well but he did know Grayson, and it seemed that the man hadn't changed much over the years. While his father's death had... hurt him, he was beginning to see that being Grayson's Robin and little brother meant he had developed a certain...relationship with him. The thought of Grayson dying made Damian's chest feel tight. He'd come to enjoy Grayson's happy nature, and his touchy- feely attitude was actually enjoyed by Damian at times(He didn't let it show of course).

'A life without Grayson,' Damian thought as his fingers stroked the picture, 'would be an empty life...just like a Gotham without Batman would be a doomed Gotham.'

Damian placed the picture back on his bureau and, suddenly overcome by the need to see Grayson alive and breathing, quickly made his way out of his room and down the dark hallway to his eldest brother's room. He stopped at the big doors and was about to peek in when a voice spoke from behind him.

"You need something Little D?" Dick asked looking down at the small boy. Damian shoulders tensed before he turned from the the door, seeming a bit embarrassed at being caught during a momentary lapse in his usual stoic behavior. But he quickly attempted to cover up his slip.

"I assumed you would sleep in due to your injury so I came to wake you." Damian mumbled, avoiding Dick's eyes. "Obviously your wound kept you up and my actions were unnecessary."

Realizing that his words made his actions sound like those of a worried brother he flushed before turning and walking down the hall without another word. Dick stared at Damian's retreating back with conflicting emotions. He felt love for his little brother fill him as he realized Damian had been worried about him. But at the same time he was worried about Damian's attitude change. He was usually standoffish and free with criticisms but since patrol last night he'd been rather...docile.

'Something is wrong with Damian.' Dick thought with certainty as he walked down the now empty hall towards the kitchen. 'But what?'

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Dick lay in his bed a week later and thought about the probable causes of Damian's strange actions through the week. It could be that he was becoming more mature, or at least attempting to, but that didn't explain his troubled expression. It could also be that he was scared that Dick might make him stop being Robin because of the incident with Jason. That at least made sense although Dick had a feeling that there was more to Damian's problem.

Throughout the week Dick tried to wheedle some answers out of Damian but the stubborn boy refused to acknowledge that anything was wrong, even though it was blatantly obvious. Damian had been stuck to Dick's side like glue ever since he came down to breakfast that first morning and when he spoke a harsh criticism it lacked its usual edge. Even on patrol he'd been quiet and refused to split up although he'd usually jump at the chance to patrol separately. This new clingy, mellow Damian was definitely an improvement from his usual attitude but the change had seemingly occurred overnight;which made Dick suspicious. After all, people don't change overnight. Especially not people like Damian.

'I don't think I realized what I was getting myself into when I took in Damian and put on the cowl.' Dick thought wryly as he stared up at his ceiling. 'He's difficult enough just being himself; but now...I don't know if I can deal with a _nice_ Damian.'

Dick sighed and turned over onto his side. Thinking about Damian's new personality was not helping him sleep. If anything it was keeping him up; and two all- nighters in a row wouldn't help his physical condition. He may be Batman but he was only human. So he let his mind wander elsewhere and was about to drift off when he was jolted awake by a piercing scream. Immediately on edge Dick threw off his sheets and attempted to pull on a pair of pants.

'That sounded like kid's scream.' He froze as that thought set in. 'Oh god, Damian!' He frantically made his way towards his door, wondering what could cause _Damian_ to scream. But before he could reach the door it flew open revealing Damian.

Dick's eyes widened as he took in the kid's appearance. Damian was trembling with his fists clenched by his side and fresh tears making tracks down his face; a face which had never before looked so terrified. Dick took a deep breath and opened his mouth to ask what had happened but before he could Damian ran forward and leapt at him. Dick fell to the floor as Damian wrapped his arms around him and buried his wet face against Dick's chest. If Dick had been shocked before he was now flabbergasted. Damian, the little demon as Tim called him, was hugging him and crying. Obviously whatever had been bothering Damian had escalated to a new level.

Still shaken by Damian's obvious display of emotions it took almost a whole minute for Dick's big brother instincts to kick in. Snapping out of his stupor his arms encircled the trembling body while one of his hands lightly stroked his hair and the other rubbed soothing circles on his back. When that failed calm the boy, Dick began to murmur words of comfort in his ear while he gently rocked back and forth.

"Damian what's wrong?" Dick's questioned once his little brother had stopped trembling. "Did you get hurt or did you see something the scared you?" Damian slowly shook his head without even one scoff at the concept of him being scared. Dick racked his brain for other possible issues and only one came to mind. He slowly asked,

"Did you have a nightmare?" There was a long pause before Damian jerked his head yes, clearly embarrassed to admit it. Dick sighed and wrapped his arms tightly around Damian as he went over to lay down on the bed. 

"What was your nightmare about Little D?" Dick asked in a hushed voice, laying back while holding his little brother against his chest. The long silence that followed was ended when Damian mumbled something against Dick's tear stained shirt. 

Dick rolled his eyes playfully and said, "I couldn't hear that, you're gonna have to speak-" He was cut off as Damian's hand flashed up to cover his mouth. 

"Do not make fun of me Grayson!" He hissed although it still lacked its usual bite. There were still a few stray tears rolling down his face but he no longer looked terrified; just a little shaken. Dick's eyes lost their playful glint and softened as he looked down at Damian. 

"Sorry Dami...now what was your nightmare about." Dick ran a hand through the boy's hair as he waited for a response. It took a few minutes of waiting but finally Damian shifted pressing his face against Dick's chest as he started to talk. 

"We, Batman and Robin, were patrolling the city. It was a dull patrol, everything was quiet so we took off our masks and we stood looking over the city. I should have known it wasn't real then, we would never take off our masks in public. I should have known..." Dick rubbed Damian's back as he felt fresh tears dampen his shirt. 

"Shh... it was only a dream." Dick whispered against Damian's head and as the boy's tears began to dry once more he asked, "So what happened next?" Damian sniffed once more before continuing his story. 

"While we were standing looking over the city Red Hood came up behind us, I wasn't paying attention and he had a gun. I heard it click behind me but I couldn't move and..." Once again Damian broke off, letting out a small sob. "It...it was just like the other night, with the gun a-and all the blood, except worse because I...I couldn't move and you d-died!" Damian nearly wailed the last word before burying his face against Dick's chest. 

Dick's mind was racing as he tightened his arms around a sobbing Damian. He could hardly believe it. All week he'd been wondering what was wrong with Damian and now that he knew it seemed extremely obvious. Dick's near death experience at the hands of Red Hood had scared Damian. That would explain why Damian hadn't left his side and why he'd been so quiet. He was worried for him, worried to lose him, to the point that he'd actually had a nightmare about it. To say that Dick was touched would be an understatement; he was practically glowing with the love and concern he felt for Damian right now. 

"Hey...it was only a dream." Dick murmured in his little brother's ear. "It was just a bad dream. Plus we won't let Red Hood get the drop on us again." Dick joked trying to calm the ex-assassin. Unfortunately it seemed to have the opposite effect. At the mention of Red Hood Damian's arms tightened around his injured middle causing him to gasp in pain. At the sound of Dick's pain Damian shot up and for the first time since the boy had latched onto him Dick got a good look at Damian's face.

Putting it bluntly, Damian looked horrible. His face was red from sobbing and wet from tears. His eyes were red and puffy and once again were filled with fear. Hell, Damian looked worse than he had when he'd burst into Dick's room for comfort. Some big brother he was, he couldn't even stop his ten year old brother's tears. Dick prepared himself to dish out some brotherly comfort but Damian broke into Dick's concentration by exclaiming,

"See! It wasn't just a dream! Red Hood shot you!" Damian gestured to Dick chest as he spoke through receding sobs, "If that g-gun had been aimed an inch h-higher when Red Hood fired you would have died just like in my dream! You would have bled out on that rooftop and left me alone!" Damian's voice gradually became stronger and by the last few words he was screaming and shaking with anger and fear.

Dick felt his own eyes well up as Damian spoke. He'd always known Damian preferred him to other people but Damian had never indicated that he truly cared about Dick; at least not openly. At the moment Damian looked extremely conflicted. He desperately yearned to be held for the reassurance that Dick was really alive. Yet he was attempting to reclaim his former independence. Dick smiled at the expression on Damian's face. Reaching up Dick gently wiped the stray tears from his little brother's cheek and Damian, swayed by the gentle touch, settled back into Dick's embrace.

"I'm not going anywhere Dami." Dick said while settling back onto the bed with his brother in his arms.

"We may have had a close call with Hood but I'm fine and even if something did happen to me you would never be alone. You'd have Alfred and Tim to look after you, and Babs too. Plus-" Damian cut him off with a tight squeeze of Dick's abdomen. Then looked up at Dick with angry eyes.

"You think Pennyworth or the former Batgirl could replace you? You think Drake could replace you? None of them understand me and none of them are competent enough to protect Gotham! Don't you dare suggest any one of them could replace you!" Damian's voice was quite but filled with angry contempt. Dick shook his head sadly and sighed,

"That's not what I meant Damian. I just wanted you to understand that you wouldn't be alone if I...died. I wanted you to know that even if I went away you'd never be alone."

These words seemed to calm Damian and he relaxed in his big brother's embrace. Suddenly feeling extremely tired his eyelids lowered and his breathing began to slow. Struggling against sleep Damian raised his face from Dick's chest and asked quietly,

"You won't leave me...will you?"

Dick smiled reassuringly but his eyes were sad as he answered, "I don't plan on leaving you anytime soon Dami," He paused to run a hand through Damian's hair, "but sometimes in our line of work...things happen. I promise though that while I'm here I'll make sure that you're never alone."

He looked down to see Damian's reaction to his words and wasn't surprised to see that the boy was fast asleep. Chuckling softly to himself Dick pulled the blanket up to cover him and Damian and let his exhaustion take over.

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The next morning would be hectic. Dick would be woken up by a kick to his side. Damian would get up and storm out of the room yelling that last night never happened and he would return to his normal stoic self. But for that night things had been calm. That had been the first night Damian had climbed in Dick's bed but it wouldn't be the last. And unknown to them Alfred had heard their whole conversation and had now taken a perfect picture for the Christmas card.

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Second one-shot in this little collection. This is only my second Batman story so it's not the best and constructive criticism is appreciated. Oh and for the record I like Jason Todd and I love stories where he rejoins the family but he just worked out for this story. Please review.


	3. Shared Roots

Shared Roots

Yay! More Damian and Dick fluffyness! This is only my third story so go easy on me. I realize that I'm sort of mixing the Batman comics with the Teen Titans show but I think that Dick being trained by an assassin (Slade/Deathstroke) is the perfect set up for a story. For the record they live in the mansion in all of my fics. So I hope you enjoy!  
>Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, Teen Titans, or any of the characters.<p>

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Dick made his way down the staircase as the clock covered the entrance behind him. Most people enjoy relaxing and eating breakfast in the morning; but Dick wasn't most people. He had a case to solve so relaxing wasn't an option. But as he approached the computer he saw that Damian was typing, looking confused and... angry? Dick brow furrowed at Damian's expression before looking to see what he was doing. Dick froze when he saw the masked face looking out at him. His heartbeat sped up and he clenched his fists; trying to keep himself in check.

'What the hell is Damian doing hacking into my Deathstroke files?' Dick thought angrily as he tried to keep his head. Apparently Damian had decided to practice hacking into high security files using the Batcomputer. Dick kept tabs on Slade and all of that information was in a triple encrypted file on the batcomputer. But of course Damian just _had _to hack into it. Suddenly Damian turned the chair around and met Dick shocked gaze with his angry one.

"Why do you have an extensive profile of the assassin Deathstroke hidden on the computer Grayson?" Damian asked in a quiet voice filled with restrained anger. He obviously didn't like being kept in the dark. "Deathstroke isn't a Gotham villain yet you have reports on him from 10 years ago. Why is he of interest to you?" Damian's tone made it obvious that he expected an answer.

Unfortunately for him Dick didn't want to give him an answer. At Damian's demanding question Dick's expression hardened before he stalked forward and exited out of the files. Damian began to protest since he wasn't done reading those files but when Dick glared down on him he fell silent, shocked.

Dick spun away from the computer and began to make his way upstairs yelling over his shoulder, "You have school, go and get ready. We'll talk about this later."

Damian recoiled slightly when Dick yelled at him. It wasn't like him. Damian waited until Dick was out of sight before he slowly began to climb the stairs after him. He wanted to know why Deathstroke was of interest to Batman that was all. Normally he would've demanded answers but after Dick's reaction to seeing the file Damian wasn't sure he wanted to know. Maybe there was a reason that the files were triple-encrypted and hidden. He made his way out of the Batcave, following Dick, the whole time there was only one thought going through his mind,

'Grayson glared at me _and_ yelled at me...but why?'

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After Damian had left for school Dick reluctantly got on the Batcomputer to re-hide and re-encrypt the Deathstroke files. But as he was working on it one of the files popped up. Dick clenched his fists as he looked at the grainy photo. It wasn't a photo of Slade; it was a photo of a young boy wearing an orange and black uniform. The caption on the photo read, _The new Slade_. Looking at the picture Dick suddenly got the overpowering urge to punch something so he pushed away from the computer and stalked towards the training room.

After setting up the practice dummy Dick took his position in front of it. He might be about to rip the practice dummy to shreds but he'd at least do it in style. But as Dick began to punch and kick the dummy in practiced succession, memories of Slade made their way into his head. Without consciously choosing to Dick began to viciously attack the dummy imagining that it was Slade he was hitting. As he punched and kicked, Slade's words from long ago echoed in his head.

_"You'll learn to like it"_  
><em>"You enjoyed stealing for me."<em>  
><em>"We really are alike."<em>  
><em>"I have much to teach you."<em>  
><em>"You're going to wish you hadn't done that."<em>  
><em>"That's my boy."<em>

Dick continued to punch the practice dummy until it was lying in tatters on the ground. He stopped then, unable to see through the tears that misted his eyes. He'd never cried during the apprenticeship and he never cried while in the Titan tower. He was their leader; he had to be strong. But now that he was alone he let all of the long buried feeling flow out.

"Sir."

Dick looked up from the remains of the Dummy as Alfred walked over. Dick said nothing as the faithful butler came forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Master Richard, I must insist that you cease beating the dummy and allow me to bandage your hands for you." Alfred said as he pulled a first aid kit out of thin air. Dick looked down at his hands and was shocked to find them scraped and bleeding; he shakily got up and sat on the bench while Alfred tended his hands. When he'd finished Alfred looked up at Dick and asked,

"If I may ask...what brought on this violent disembowelment of expensive equipment?" Dick avoided Alfred's eyes as he answered.

"This morning, Damian hacked into my Deathstroke files. He asked me why I kept files on him...I sort of overreacted." He toyed with the bandages on his hands. Alfred nodded in understanding. He was one of the very few who knew about Dick's time as Deathstroke's apprentice. It had, at the time, troubled the boy deeply.

"Did you tell him Master Richard?" Alfred questioned as he began to repack the first aid kit. Dick shook his head.

"No I didn't. I was so...scared when I saw Damian looking into Deathstroke. For a second I saw myself; young and obsessed with bringing Slade down. I was also shocked to see my Slade files open. So I told him we'd discuss it later." Dick looked up from his hands and met Alfred's eyes.

"He deserves to know."

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That afternoon when Damian was picked up from school he was extremely conflicted. Grayson's reaction to the files this morning worried Damian. For a moment, when he first caught sight of the file, the former boy wonder had looked truly terrified. Batman had been scared, of Deathstroke. Damian had heard about the mercenary before and while the reports were impressive he saw no reason for the man to scare Grayson. Damian hated that his brother was keeping him in the dark. Deathstroke was obviously important and somehow connected to Grayson. That would be the only explanation to why he kept so many files on him. But why had he hidden all of those files from Damian; his partner.

'Is it because he doesn't trust me?' Damian wondered as Pennyworth drove towards the mansion.

'Does he think that I'd join Deathstroke and turn against him just because we're both trained assassins?' The thought distressed Damian.

He'd been trying lately to prove himself as a worthy Robin. He hadn't killed or maimed anyone and he even refrained from using profanity in Grayson's presence. He wanted to be trusted; accepted. Lately he'd begun to feel like Grayson would trust him with just about anything...but he was wrong. Finding those files hidden away from him on the Batcomputer suddenly made him question if Grayson really trusted him at all.

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Alfred pulled the car up to the front door then turned to Damian and said, "Master Richard wishes to speak with you in his quarters. He sounded rather urgent so I suggest you hurry young master."

Damian gave a stiff nod before jumping out of the car and heading upstairs. He was nervous. He had no idea how to approach this. Should he just ask about Deathstroke like he did this morning or should he try to coax Dick into talking about the files? If Damian said the wrong thing he might never get another chance to ask about the files. He also wanted to know why Dick hadn't trusted him with this information.

As he came to Dick's door he took an inaudible breath and then shoved open the doors and walked into the room. There sitting on the bed was Dick. He looked up slowly when Damian stormed into the room, the light that fell on his face showed his fatigued appearance. Damian walked forward until he stood in front of him and, trying to keep up the facade that he was angry, crossed his arms and asked,

"Why did you hide those files from me? I'm your partner." A little irritation crept into his voice as he spoke, which didn't go unnoticed by Dick.

"It's a long story Dami." Dick said trying to deter the youngest bird, but Damian simply raised an eyebrow. So Dick sighed and patted a spot on the bed beside him and when Damian cautiously sat down next to him he began to talk.

"It all started when I was fifteen. I'd left Batman and moved to Jump City after we had a fight. The Teen Titans had just recently been formed and we were still working out some kinks with our teamwork. It was then that we met_ him_." Dick's voice dripped with loathing as he spoke the last word.

"His name was Slade. You'd know him as Deathstroke. It all started with a few robberies with cryptic clues left behind like an S. But it wasn't long before Slade began to threaten the city. I felt like I was the only one who could stop him. I- I'm not sure if I can...explain the obsession I had with catching him back then." Dick paused to collect his thoughts before going on.

"I was so desperate to prove myself. I wanted to be recognized, given some credit. Slade knew that and he exploited it. He-"

"What do you mean? What did he do?" Damian interrupted clearly not following the direction the story was taking. He frowned up at Dick as he waited for an answer. Dick smiled at Damian's expression and, much to boy's chagrin, reached over to ruffle his hair.

"If you listen to the story you'll find out, now don't interrupt. So like I was saying, Slade knew I wanted to prove myself so he purposefully left clues for me and sent his robots to fight me. I thought at the time that he was playing with me, but he wasn't; he was testing me." Dick looked at his wall lost in his memories as Damian waited for him to go on.

"He managed to separate me from my team. I went after him while my team went to disable a chronoton detonator Slade had rigged to blow up Jump. So we fought and just like every other time we'd fought he beat me and he trapped me." Dick ran his hands over his face and tugged his fingers through his hair in frustration at his naive ways. "The chronoton detonator was fake. It was set up to put nanoscopic probes into my team and Slade could detonate those probes whenever he wanted. He had their lives in his hands and if I didn't do what he wanted, he'd kill them."

Damian's eyes widened for a second before narrowing in suspicion. "What did he want? What could you give him that he couldn't steal himself?" He asked clearly finding Dick's story unlikely.

"He wanted an apprentice." Damian's mouth dropped open at this before he could manage to conceal his reaction. "All those clues and fights were Slade's way of discovering if I was worthy to train under him. So he held up the trigger to kill my friends and told me the only way to save them was to forsake them and become his apprentice. I had no choice. I worked and trained under Slade for a month before the Titans found the probes and we stopped Slade. But it wasn't an easy month."

Damian was beyond shocked. Dick Grayson had been trained by an assassin, and not just any assassin. He'd been trained by Deathstoke one of the most notorious assassins in the world. He couldn't believe it. Although it would explain why Dick never mentioned Damian's past in the league of assassins. He understood what it was like and Damian understood why he'd always felt a connection between himself and Dick. It all made sense.

Suddenly Damian thought of something, "If you faced Deathstroke as a teenager why do you still keep so many files on him?" Dick looked down, thinking.

"Hmmmm... I guess I keep so many files on him because he's still living large; he hasn't been brought to justice. I want closure; while he's still out there a part of me is...scared." He answered in a whisper as his eyes began to glisten.

"I'd thought I could handle anything; that after the crazies in Gotham everyone else I faced would seem sane. But Slade...he just-" Dick paused to run his hands through his hair, "He got inside my head. We'd train and he'd compliment me on my form or tell me that I was just like he was and... I couldn't help but start to see just how similar we were. It scared me. It terrified me that I could see myself becoming like him, and that he could see it too."

As Dick talked the tears in his eyes finally fell and he began to tremble. Damian stared in shock as his eldest brother began to break down. It wasn't like he'd never seen Dick cry before because he had but this was different. These were tears of anger, frustration, and _fear_. Damian didn't like when Dick cried. It didn't fit Dick's usual personality. So acting on an impulse Damian reached over and grabbed one of Dick's bandaged hands. When Dick looked down at him in shock Damian flushes and glares off towards the wall. Then he says,

"Stop being such a baby Grayson! Deathstroke isn't anywhere near Gotham and even if he was; what could he do? You're Batman now. Deathstroke couldn't hurt you even if he tried. Not that I'd let him try." Out of the corner of his eyes Damian saw Dick's face light up at his words. Dick then reached out and pulled Damian into a bone crushing hug, which the boy objected to vehemently.

"Thanks Dami." Dick managed to whisper before Damian kicked him in the stomach and stalked out of his room. Dick breathless laugh echoed through the manor as he chased Damian. Downstairs Alfred heard Dick's laugh and the scuffle of a fleeing Robin's feet and smiled. All was well again.

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So yes, no, maybe so? I know it's a bit different but I liked the idea of both brothers being trained by an assassin. I thought it was a nice way for the two to connect. Next two chapters will be a Christmas special. Which means Dick Grayson's playful side will come out. Since its spring we need a Christmas story. Thanks for reading. Please review? Please?


	4. A Christmas Story: Part 1

A Christmas Story

**Yay! Christmas in spring! I feel like I've done enough sappy sob stories so now it's time for a Christmas tale filled with joy. I want to write a happy Dick since I've been making him not so happy in my other fics. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, Characters, or Christmas.**

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Wayne Manor was known for being dark and foreboding. The houses around it would be decorated with flashing lights and signs for the holidays but Bruce Wayne refused to decorate his house, even on the inside. Dick Grayson however loved the holidays and although the manor was always the same on the outside it became transformed on the inside. Decorations were hung all around the house and a Christmas tree that rivaled a skyscraper was put up in the foyer. Then of course there was Dick.

"You better watch out! You better not cry! You better not shout, I'm telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town!" Dick sang while he decorated the mantle, making sure everything was perfect before moving on. He picked up two boxes of decorations and made his way to the kitchen. He paused outside the door when he heard Tim singing Jingle Bell Rock in a fake high pitched voice. His chorus, however, was cut off by Damian's angry yell.

"Drake if you do not stop singing that horrendous song I will sew your mouth together with steel thread and I-", Damian's threat was interrupted by Dick's laugh at the door.

"No threats on Christmas Dami." Dick said, walking into the room, smiling. Damian scoffed at him, and then turned to glower at Tim's gloating expression.

"Plus, even if you sewed Tim's mouth shut he'd never shut up." Dick told Damian with a wink. Damian glared at Dick's wink and quickly turned away from him. He walked towards the door but before leaving he turned and gave a small smirk to a disgruntled Tim, who scowled in response.

"Why did you do that Dick?" Tim asked once Damian had left. "Now the little demon is going to be gloating until New Year's about how you like him best!" He reached to yank the box out of Dick's arms, pulled out the Christmas lights, and began to hang them around the room.

Dick rolled his eyes good- naturedly as he hefted the box of tree decorations up to rest on his hip. "Don't worry Timmy. I won't let our little brother bully you." Dick cooed at Tim, who was now scowling at him.

"You know I didn't have to come home for Christmas; I got plenty of other offers! So if I'm getting in the way of your brotherly bonding with the demon just tell me and I'll leave!" Tim yelled angrily at Dick his fists clenched and shaking by his sides. Dick took an involuntary step back, surprised at the outburst.

Tim hated Damian and Damian hated Tim; Dick knew that. They fought over nearly every little detail and they were always competing. But he'd never thought they might be competing even in the brotherhood department. He assumed Tim's comment about Damian gloating was a joke so naturally he'd joked back...and struck a nerve. Dick placed the box of decorations down before stepping forward.

"Timmy," Dick murmured softly while reaching out for the younger bird, "I didn't step in to take Damian side. I just didn't want the two of you fighting during Christmas. You know I want you here, little bro."

Tim sidestepped Dick's reaching arm and nodded to Dick. "I know. I'm just still trying to figure out my solo gig and get over the fact that I'm not Robin anymore. With the little demon parading around the house like he owns it I just...I'm not sure if this is the best place for me to be right now."

"I'm sorry Timmy but I...I want to have a good Christmas. It's the first one without Bruce and I want-," Dick paused to take a deep calming breath, "I want the family together. If you stay I'll take care of Damian's attitude problem. Okay?"

Tim nodded with a small smile. "If he's civil then I will be too." Dick's smile lit up his face at Tim's words as he grabbed his shoulder and pulled him into a hug. Tim sighed and reluctantly let Dick pull him in. He wasn't particularly fond of hugs but Dick was, and who could say no to him. Dick pulled back with a smile still on his face and reached down to pick up the box of decorations.

"I'll go take care of Damian, you finish hanging those lights." Tim nodded at Dick's back as the older of the two left the room.

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Dick had searched the whole mansion for Damian and hadn't been able to find the kid. Finally deciding that Damian would come out eventually Dick had given up the search in exchange for decorating the Christmas tree. This was his favorite Christmas activity.

"Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg. The Batmobile lost its wheel, and the Joker got awaayyyy!" Dick sang as he decorated the tall tree. His voice echoed in the large living room creating enough noise that he didn't hear the door open behind him.

"The Joker would only get away if you were Batman, Grayson." Damian's spiteful comment announced his arrival. Dick rolled his eyes and ignored his attitude.

"Glad you finally came out of hiding Little D." Dick put one last ornament on the tree before turning around and beckoning Damian over. "Come here for a sec, we need to talk."

Damian walked forward warily; not sure what to expect. He had been tricked into an embrace by Dick before and had no interest in receiving a hug today. Dick smiled at Damian's suspicious expression.

"Alright. What do we need to talk about?"

Dick sighed, "We need to talk about you and Tim."

"Why do we have to discuss Drake and I? We hardly socialize." Damian immediately became defensive, ready to defend his actions towards Tim.

"That's the problem! It's Christmas Dami; it's the time for family to come together! Tim's staying through New Year's so the holidays would be more enjoyable if the two of you could play nice for the week. Tim's already agreed and you should too!" Dick finished his lecture and looked at Damian. The boy had one brow raised and looked completely unconvinced. Dick tried to think of another argument.

"Umm...Oh, you have to be nice to Tim if you want Santa to bring you presents!" Dick grinned from ear to ear knowing Damian would have to agree now. After all, what ten year old would want to risk the naughty list?

"Santa Claus isn't real Grayson."

Dick's ear splitting grin fell as his chin dropped to the floor. Did his little brother, his 10- year- old brother, really just say that Santa didn't exist? How could a kid his age not believe in Santa?

"Hehe...of course he's real Damian." He told the boy, trying to make his words full of conviction. Damian, however, just scoffed and glared at him.

"Of course that's what you'd say, Grayson. You probably still buy into this crap." Damian waved an arm towards the tree. Dick opened his mouth to protest to Damian's words but the boy kept talking. "Think about it. A fat man in a red suit delivering presents to all the good children in the world in one night, flying reindeer, fitting through chimneys, and knowing who's naughty and nice. It's impossible!" Damian turned his head to glare sullenly out the window when he spoke the next sentence. "Plus...I've never gotten a present from Santa."

'Oh. So that's it? He's never gotten a present so he's used logic to convince himself Santa doesn't exist rather than think of himself as naughty.' Dick shook him head and chuckled at Damian's insecurity. The kid was just too cute sometimes. Damian turned his glare back to rest on his older brother as he chuckled.

"Don't laugh at me Grayson! I'm only stating the truth!" Damian nearly yelled at the elder bird but manage to keep his voice at a menacing monotone. Dick smiled down at him.

"I'm not laughing at you little D, I'm laughing at your explanation. Santa is real; heck you even know him." Damian glare softened, his expression becoming skeptic. Dick quickly pushed on, thinking quickly. "Come one Damian it's obvious! Santa is Flash!" The second that came out of his mouth Dick had to restrain himself from bursting out laughing. The image in his head was priceless, the whole story he was about to tell was priceless; Wally wouldn't think so but Dick couldn't wait to see Roy's face.

Damian's expression was still skeptical, suspicious. Dick decided he'd take some convincing. "Santa's always been a speedster. Although the first Flash was where the red suit tradition came from. There have always been speedsters even before there was Flash so-"

"What about the reindeer on the roof, the sleigh, and the cookies and carrots?" Damian cut Dick off, quick to call his bluff. Those things couldn't be rationalized with Flash which meant Dick was lying.

"I was getting there!" Dick huffed at Damian's interruption. Then he prepared to continue his tale. "The whole reindeer on the roof rumor comes from when _Santa_ ran across rooftops with metal cleats. The metal stopped the speedsters from slipping. The sleigh is a load a baloney. Flash told me he has no idea where that story came from. As for the cookies and carrots, people realized the current _Santa_ was swiping carrots and cookies from their fridges or counters, so they just started leaving them out." Dick was winded by the end of his tale but it was worth it when he saw the wary acceptance beginning to show in Damian's eyes.

Damian was conflicted. He'd been told his whole life that Santa was a myth. He'd never believed. Grayson did though. He said that Santa was Flash and if anyone knew that Grayson would. Damian trusted Grayson yet at the same time he didn't believe in Santa. Suddenly thinking of another argument he asks,

"Well...maybe Flash is Santa but how does he fit down the chimneys or get into house that don't have them?"

Dick smiled at him. "That's easy little D; he doesn't. Parents actually leave their doors unlocked on Christmas Eve so that he can just zoom in and drop off the presents. The parents don't want the kids to know this though so they mess up their fireplaces."

Dick's words were so self- assured and confident that Damian knew he was telling the truth. Santa was real. Surprisingly the thought made Damian feel extremely happy. He never realized that the absence of the Santa had left him so depressed until now. But if Santa was real...

"Why...Why haven't I ever received a present from Santa before?" Damian asked out loud before he could stop himself and felt Dick's hand fall on his shoulder. He looked up to see his eldest brother smiling down at him.

"Damian, assassins don't make Flash's nice list. Plus your mom would never leave the door open for Santa." Dick explained calmly before raising his hand up to ruffle Damian's hair. Damian reached up to swat the hand away, then paused before lowering his hand and allowing Dick to mess his hair. Dick smiled when Damian let him continue his hair messing; wondering what was running through the boy's head.

"Do you think...that Santa will bring me presents this year?" Damian asked hesitantly, hating how young and weak he sounded. Dick looked surprised at the question for a second, and then his face broke into a huge smile.

"Tell you what, if you get along with Tim and help me decorate the tree, I'll make sure of it. Okay?" Dick lifted a few ornaments out of the box at his feet and offered them to his little brother. Damian stared at the ornaments for a few moments before looking up at Dick, with a slight smile, and nodding. He grabbed the ornament sand began to hang them as Dick stood, shell- shocked, in the aftermath of Damian's smile.

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Dick came into the kitchen the following morning with a bright smile. Alfred was cooking breakfast while Damian and Tim continued to sleep. "Morning Alfred!"

"Good morning to you as well Master Richard." Alfred answered as he handed over a plate of pancakes. Dick dug in with a muffled thank you. He ate almost all 6 before he placed his fork down.

"Hey Alfred, if you have time could you make some invitations for the JL Christmas party? It's being held here this year and I haven't had the time." Dick asked, bringing his plate over to the sink to be washed.

"I have already taken care of the invitations, Master Richard. I sent them out near one month earlier, I believe."

With that said Alfred reached out to take the plate from Dick hands and if Dick hadn't known the butler for 15 odd years, he would have sworn the old man was smirking.

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**So was it okay? I really tried to make the whole Flash/ Santa thing believable but I know I left out a few key points. This is only part 1 so it's not over yet, if anyone has any ideas for part 2 throw them at me I need some material! Anyone catch the end of the story reference? Also sorry it took me so long to update. Please review! It makes me happy, even if it is criticism. Thank for reading!**


	5. A Christmas Story: Part 2

A Christmas Story II

**Here it is! I know it took me forever but I sort of lost my inspiration halfway through and then I ended up rewriting it. It's finished now though. I took some ideas into consideration and tried to work them into the story as promised but I wasn't able to do everything. Enjoy!**  
><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or any character...unfortunately <strong>

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Dick stirred his coffee absentmindedly as he waited for Alfred to finish making breakfast. Lately Dick had become conflicted about what to do for Christmas. He didn't have to worry about gifts since he'd already handled that aspect, he was however worried about the Santa issue. Since Dick had explained "Santa" to Damian, the little bird had been downright nice to... everyone. His attitude towards Tim had even improved. The two's usual scorn for each other had been transformed into light banter. Damian had become so _easy _to handle and Dick loved it. But if Wally didn't become Santa that nice behavior would disappear along with any trust Dick had built with his youngest brother.

Somehow he would have to get Wally to play Santa. Usually the speedster would jump at the chance to be Santa for an innocent child, unfortunately Wally had met Damian...and yeah. Needless to say their personalities had clashed. This meant that Dick couldn't just ask Wally and expect a yes, which sort of sucked since tonight was Christmas Eve. Of course, he could blackmail the speedster but knowing Wally he'd get revenge, which wasn't an issue Dick wanted to add to his load. The best option would be to invite Wally over, ask him, and then show him just how civil Damian has been. Dick smiled to himself and decided to call his best friend after breakfast and no matter what he would make Wally be Santa.

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"A little to the left." Tim told Damian, before sitting back to enjoy watching the glowering boy shove the couch over to where Tim had pointed. After it was in place Tim tilted his head with a frown and then shook his head, "On second thought, move it back." Damian glared at him but nonetheless began pushing the couch.

'I could get used to this.' Tim thought as he waited for Damian to be done so that his little brother could go and get him a soda. 'It's like having an angry kitten as a slave.' Since discovering Dick's "Santa" cover story Tim had been able to make Damian to do anything for him. Only after convincing the youngest bird that Flash would appreciate his acts of kindness.

Damian shoved the couch back into place and stomped over to Tim. "Are we done here Drake?" He asked blank faced. Tim nodded but before he could ask for the soda Damian went on, "I don't really see how moving furniture will place me in Flashes favor." Deciding to mess with the demon, Tim frowned and said,

"Hmm...you're right. I don't think this will be enough to convince Flash that you're worthy of presents." It was _almost_ laughable how devastated Damian looked before he managed to put on a blank face. Damian then asked in a voice that shook slightly,

"How else do you suggest I convince him Drake?" Tim frowned again, pretending to think over the question, and then gestured for Damian to come closer. Tim smirked as Damian walked towards him and, the second he was within arm's reach, did something he never would have dared to do before; he ruffled Damian's hair. "Drake!" Damian yelled out, ducking under Tim's arm and bolting to the door, red faced and scowling.

He was stopped from fleeing by Dick, who grabbed him when he tried to dart around the eldest bird. "Woah, Little D! What's wrong?" Dick looked down at Damian's red face in concern then placed his hand on the boy's forehead. "Are you sick?"

Damian went to smack Dick's hands off then rethought the action and gently removed them. "Drake was simply being an imbici-a pain." Damian stuttered out his sentence, trying to remain "nice." Dick raised his eyebrows at Tim, knowing that his younger brother had been taking advantage of Damian's attitude adjustment. Tim smiled innocently and said,

"I was just showing some brotherly affection..." Dick rolled his eyes at the excuse while Damian glared at Tim from Dick's side.

"Well I'm sorry to interrupt your brotherly bonding but I thought you'd like to know that Wally is coming over later." Dick told his younger brothers, who exchanged looks. Tim's looked amused while Damian looked slightly worried. "Why is he coming here?" Damian questioned his shoulders tense under Dick's hands.

"Titan's business. He's bringing Bart over with him." Damian relaxed a little after that announcement and Tim grinned. "Sweet. I haven't seen Bart in a while."

"Now you two should clean this room up before they get here." Tim looked around the room and realized that they had made quite a mess. "I'll tell Alfred to bring you guys the vacuum, get to it." With that said Dick gently pushed Damian back into the room and closed the door, leaving his brothers alone.

As Damian began to pick up the pillows scattered around the room Tim got an idea. "Hey Damian, I think I know how you can convince Flash to bring you presents." Damian looked up warily, clearly not trusting Tim after the hair ruffling incident. "How do you suggest I convince him? You can tell me from there!" Damian exclaimed as Tim walked closer.

Tim chuckled and said, "Well you see, I have something in my closet that will definitely make Flash see you as a _nice_ kid. It's..."

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The doorbell rang nonstop when Wally arrived, causing Dick to run for the door. Alfred hated it when the speedster broke the doorbell. Dick opened the door to reveal Wally and Bart.

"Haven't I told you that you only have to ring the doorbell once?" Dick questioned as he glared with mock anger at the scarlet speedster. Wally laughed him off though saying,

"Yeah, but you were taking too long! Plus it wasn't me this time." Dick laughed at Bart's devilish smirk and pulled Wally into a hug.

"It's been way too long since I last saw you Flashman." Dick noted as he pulled away. Wally rolled his eyes. "Well it's not my fault that you never leave Gotham anymore, Birdy! But what's up? You said you had to ask me something." Dick smile became a little strained. "Uh, yeah. Let's talk in the living room. Tim's up in his room Bart." Wally and Dick made their way through the mansion as Bart zipped off.

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"So...what'd you want to ask me?" Wally asked after Dick had closed the door to the living room. Dick sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he sat down on the couch.

"It's about Damian..." Dick started and Wally's expression became suspicious, "What about him?" Dick took deep breath and just blurted it all out, "He didn't believe in Santa so I told him you were Santa to get him into the Christmas spirit but now I can't back it up and I need you to be Santa!"

There was a long silence following Dick's exclamation which was finally broken by Wally who answered, "Why should I become Santa for the little demon? He's gonna find out that Santa's not real eventually, why not now?" Dick was shocked by how cold Wally's voice became. He knew that Wally didn't like Damian but he didn't realize that dislike was so strong. He desperately tried to make Wally understand.

"I know he'll find out one day but he's never had a Christmas with Santa! I want him to have at least one and you haven't seen how excited he is. He really can't wait to get present for Santa he's even been nice to Tim! He-" Dick's talk was cut off by the loud crash and the multiple voices yelling that sounded above them.

Dick growled and went to go break up whatever fight had just ruined his argument. He climbed the stairs and went to Tim's room but when he came to the open doorway he stopped and gaped in shock. Bart and Tim were sprinting around the room laughing hysterically as they were chased by Damian...wearing an elf costume. Sure that his eyes were playing tricks on him Dick squeezed them shut then reopened them; the scene was still the same. Damian was red faced, clearly embarrassed and angry, and was screaming out profanities as he chased the two friends.

Dick stood completely still, unsure what to do. Part of him wanted to burst out laughing. Here was Damian; assassin trained Damian, running around with elf ears, green tights, and pixie boots. Pixie boots, ha! But then the logical part of his brain clicked on. He ran into the room and hoisted the screaming elf over his shoulder before the boy could do anymore damage to the room or its' occupants. As Dick turned to leave the room he glared over his shoulder at the other two boys; both of whom paled under his bat-glare

"I'll deal with you later." Dick threatened the young Titans before he left the room with Damian. He made his way into his younger brother's room and plopped the now sullen elf down on the bed. Damian quickly leapt off the bed and disappeared into his closet. He emerged a few minutes fully dressed, walked over to the bed, and sat down with his back turned to Dick. Letting out a sigh, Dick settled down on the bed behind the little bird and started his interrogation.

"So...an elf costume huh?" Damian gave no response but to hunch his shoulders. Dick shook his head and tried again. "Come on, Little D. I know you didn't come up with this on your own, did Tim make you do it?" Still receiving no acknowledgement from his youngest brother, Dick let out another sigh and got off the bed. "If you wanna talk about you know where to find me little bro." Dick was halfway to the bedroom door when a small voice spoke up.

"Drake did not make me do it," Damian admitted, "he simply...he convinced me that Flash would be more inclined to deliver me gifts if he witnessed me _getting into the spirit._" Damian shoulders were nearly touching his ears, a clear sign of his embarrassment. "Drake had promised to be civil and until I exited the bathroom and was _laughed at,"_ Damian snarled the phrase, angry at being made fun of, "I had not thought of the possibility that he was trying to make a fool of me."

Dick walked around the bed so that he could crouch down in front of Damian. Finally seeing the little assassin's face came as a bit of a shock. The small face was still bright red and was contorted in anger and frustration but what really got Dick were the tears running down his cheeks. Dick reached out a hand and gently wiped the tears from his brother's cheeks. Damian allowed him too, basking in the feelings of love and safety that came with Dick's touch. Robin might not feel the need to be coddled or protected but Damian Wayne enjoyed the warm glow of his elder brother's affection.

'Poor Dami,' Dick thought as he wiped away his little brother's tears, 'he's probably never even been humiliated before now.' Damian's face had lost its anger and now the small bird looked somewhat scared and sad.

"Drake said...he said that if I didn't show myself dressed as an elf to Flash he would assume I was still a bad child and I would not receive any gifts." Fresh tears sparkled in the corner of his desperate eyes as he looked up at Dick. "He was lying...wasn't he?" Dick's heartstrings were tugged at Damian pleading tone and he gathered the small boy in his arms.

"Of course he was lying, Dami." Dick practically cooed to his little brother as he rocked them back and forth. "I promised you Flash would bring you presents, didn't I?" Damian gave a small nod against Dick's chest. "Then you have nothing to worry about. You're a good boy; a great hero. You have nothing to worry about, okay?" Again Damian's head bobbed up and down. Dick smiled down at him and ran his fingers through the boy's hair, comforting and calming him. They stayed like that for a good few minutes before Dick finally broke the silence.

"I have to go take care of Tim and Bart, you okay now little brother?" Dick asked and, getting no response, looked down. Damian was fast asleep. His head rested on Dick chest while his small hands clenched Dick's jacket. Dick smiled down at the boy and gently pried the boy's hands off of him and tucked him into bed. Dick gently stroked Damian's dark hair before leaning down to kiss his forehead. "You're a good boy Damian." Dick whispered. He then straightened up and looked towards the door.

"How long have you been standing there?" Wally shrugged from the doorway. "Long enough to see the little demon actually act human." He answered, looking at the sleeping boy thoughtfully. Dick brushed past him and made him way into the hall.

"Dick." Wally called down the hall after him. Dick turned and found himself face to face with a determined speedster. "I'll do it. I'll be the kid's Santa. You weren't kidding about him and it might do some good if he could act like a normal kid for a day...you have a present I could bring him?" Dick's smile transformed into an evil smirk. "Oh yeah, I have the perfect present."

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Early Christmas morning Dick Grayson was fast asleep in his king sized bed when a loud slam woke him up. Groaning he rolled over to see Damian walking into his room. "Grayson its Christmas. Get up." Dick waved him off and curled into a tight ball. Damian stalked forward and yanked his covers off. "Get up! Custom dictates that I wake you and drag you downstairs to look at the presents." Dick groaned again but decided that getting up was in his best interest since Damian looked about ready to attack him.

Making their way into the foyer where the giant tree stood. Dick was surprised to see Babs, Cass, and Stephanie were already there, sitting in chairs around the presents. Damian looked around curiously before his face darkened.

"Where is Drake?" Stephanie smiled at Damian's question and answered, "He's probably busy sleeping. We can start without him." Damian nodded and turned his attention to the presents. Steph winked at Dick once the boy's back was turned. Dick smiled and walked up to Damian. "Well I see a big present with your name on it, how about you open that?" Damian nodded and went up to the giant box hesitantly, unsure of how to approach opening a gift. He'd never been given one before now.

The tag read _"From Santa, Handle with care (or not)."_ Damian's brow furrowed in confusion at the words. He then took a deep breath and ripped the paper away. Damian stared in shock as laughter burst out from behind him. His present was Tim Drake dressed in an extremely revealing elf outfit, scrunched inside a glass box, with hot pink duct tape covering his mouth and restraining his arms. For a second Damian was simply confused. Why would he want Drake for a present? But then Dick handed him another box. "This goes with it." He said through his laughter.

Damian opened the second box and suddenly it all made sense. There was a digital camera and a list of emails of the heroes that Tim knew. Damian stood up with the camera grinning, and when he saw Tim's eyes widen in panic he couldn't help himself; he laughed. He began to take hundreds of pictures laughing, almost giggling, with glee the whole time. Dick, Alfred, and the girls watched the laughing boy with huge smiles on their faces. They'd finally made the little assassin laugh, talk about a perfect Christmas.

A good twenty minutes later Damian was done taking pictures and had run up to his room to email them, a bright grin continuing to light up his face. Dick had managed to unwrap Tim, who had been swearing profusely the second the duct tape was ripped off. Once Tim was dressed in decent clothes they all exchanged the rest of their presents.

Afterwards they all gathered in the family room chatting and relaxing. It was then that Damian came back in. Although he wasn't smiling anymore his blue eyes were still brightened with happiness. He made his way through the room, enjoying how Tim glared at him, and settled down on the couch next to Dick. His eldest brother looked down at him with a smile.

"How'd you like Christmas, Little D?"

Damian scoffed and turned his face away. "It was a stupid holiday." He said, his voice clearly implying the opposite. Dick laughed and ruffled the small boy's hair. Damian scowled at the action and shoved Dick away from him, causing him to fall from the couch. Suddenly there was a giggle from across the room. Looking up, Damian saw that it was Stephanie who had laughed.

"You two are so adorable! Just like the Christmas card!" She giggled and her mention of the Christmas card also caused Babs and Cass to laugh.

Dick pushed himself off the floor and looked at the laughing girls in confusion. "What Christmas card? The one Alfie sent out?" There were a few more giggles at this and Babs wheeled her chair over and handed a card off to Dick. Looking down at the card Dick's face went from shock to bright red in seconds.

"How di-did this pic-picture...where did th-this picture..." Dick stuttered as he looked at a picture of him and Damian snuggled up together on his bed. He remembered when it was but where did this picture come from. Dick's eyes darted to the door where Alfred stood smiling. Of course; who else?

"What is it Grayson?" Dick jumped at Damian's voice when it came from right behind him. He quickly tried to hide the card but it was clear from Damian's furious, flushed face that he'd already seen it. The youngest Wayne's eyes went straight to Tim where they stayed and narrowed.

"This is all _your_ fault Drake! You sent this out to undermine Grayson's authority and make me look...STUPID!" Damian screamed as he leapt at Tim, furiously trying to cripple the hacker with multiple household objects.

Dick opened his mouth to tell them off for fighting but he quickly closed it again. The batgirls were laughing and even Alfred had a smile on his face. Dick felt himself begin to smile while watching their antics. Christmas was over and, while it had been nice to have peaceable little brothers, it was time for things to go back to how they should be. Hectic, crazy, and a little Batty.

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**Wooh! It's done! Well at least I've finally managed to finish the Christmas special. I know I didn't do the JLA Christmas party but I just wasn't feeling it. Big thanks to BookJunkie and Stevie.x. I tried to add in enough fluff and the elf idea actually worked out I think. Also thanks to everyone else for your suggestions! It wasn't that they weren't good; I just had a pretty good idea of where I was going and couldn't fit them in. Thank you all so much for sticking with me! I'll try to update faster this time. PLEASE REVIEW! Even if it's just to say that you hated this chapter. Thanks!**


	6. Us against the World

Us against the World

**I'm back! I know, I know, it's been like forever! But summer does that to me, I can't help it. I also wasn't very happy with how the Christmas chapters turned out which made it harder for me to write. I'm glad a lot of you liked it but I didn't. This chapter is more to my liking, although I will warn you this is totally rated T. A few other chapters probably were too but this one seriously is. Like swearing and sexual references. **  
><strong>Rated: T<strong>  
><strong>Disclaimer: I don't own it...any of it.<strong>

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The Batcave was cold. Of course it was always cold since it was a cave, but today it felt colder to one Dick Grayson. He sat at the Batcomputer, a letter clutched in his hand and a scowl on his face. He'd been expecting this for a while since, according to society, he couldn't handle responsibility. Lucius Fox said Wayne Enterprises was meant to be handle by a businessman, not Dick. The superhero community said that Batman was meant for a harder man, not Dick. Now Gotham was saying that caring for his family was another thing that Dick Grayson could not do. He was 22 years old, but apparently too young to raise his brother in the eyes of Gotham. He'd expected a visit from social services eventually. He just hadn't expected it so soon.

Dick knew why they were coming. There were quite a few reasons probably. Damian's last trip to the school nurse had revealed some suspicious looking bruises to the school faculty. Dick had a meeting a week later to explain to them that Damian's hobby was martial arts and he often got injured sparring with his instructor. That had cleared up that problem, although not every one of the faculty members had believed him. Dick had wondered if those allegations would come back to bite him.

That wasn't the only reason a social worker was coming. It was, after all, hard to forget the disastrous outing that classified Dick Grayson as an unfit guardian. He'd had good intentions when he dragged Damian around town. Keep up appearances, get some fresh air, and bond like a normal family. The problem was, their family is anything but normal.

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_'So far so good.' Dick thought walking into the mall with Damian by his side. It had been a small miracle that Dick had managed to bring Damian shopping without physically having to drag him here. Now that they had arrived at the mall though, Damian made it perfectly clear what he thought about shopping._

_"I still do not understand why you insisted upon bringing me with you when you are perfectly capable of shopping alone." Damian's expression was somewhere between a scowl and grimace as he looked around the small food court they were in. Dick let out a sigh at Damian's words. He wasn't surprised that his little brother didn't want to be here but he'd hoped Damian might warm up to the idea of shopping once they arrived. Apparently not. _

_"I told you Damian; we're not just here to shop we're here to bond. Family shopping is fun. You get to shop for things you need while having fun with miscellaneous merchandise like sunglasses or hats and; oh come on! It's not that bad." Dick frowned as Damian let out a -Tt- quietly beside him._

_"Grayson, shopping in a place like this is neither productive nor fun. It is simply a waste of our Saturday. I can think of nothing worse that we could be doing today short of dying. We should just leave." Damian half turned to walk back towards the entrance, as though his decision was final, before Dick grabbed his arm and dragged him back into the food court._

_"You're exaggerating Dami. It's not like I'm torturing you or anything. We're just going shopping and maybe we'll go out to lunch, but that's it. It's something that normal families do all the time. So if we want to keep our identities secret we, the Wayne family, have to go out on the town now and then." Dick tried to make his tone soothing and understanding despite his growing frustration towards Damian's attitude._

_Damian was far from soothed though. If anything Dick's calming words seemed to have infuriated the little bird. "Don't talk to me like that; like I'm some stupid child. I understand things far better than you do Grayson." _

_Dick Grayson pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation at Damian's outburst before looking around the cafeteria. It seemed that his youngest brother's temper tantrum had brought judgmental eyes to focus on Dick. Fantastic, now he was a bad parental figure as well as a bad Batman. _

"_Your arguments are weak and shopping is a completely useless. We have all the clothes we need and if we wanted any miscellaneous objects we could just order them from the internet. If you were thinking things through you would have realized how pointless this shopping trip is. We shouldn't have to degrade ourselves by shopping in these middle class stores anyway, that's what a servant like Pennyworth is for." _

_Dick head snapped up at the insult towards Alfred. It was one thing to beat on Tim or call Dick an idiot, but no one insults Alfred. Dick glared at Damian, who paled slightly under the replica of his father's famous glare and then Dick snapped,_

_"That's enough!" Dick's yell echoed in the cafeteria. "I get it, okay! You hate Tim, you hate me, and you don't want to go shopping. I know! But I have news for you Damian, you may think you're an adult but in reality you're 10 years old. That means that despite being a little smart ass," Damian's eyes widened in shocked reproach at Dick words, " I sometimes know what's best for you! Now we're going shopping, got it!?" _

_Damian's eyes were on the floor, hiding his face from Dick, but he murmured a resigned yes. Dick relaxed a bit when Damian spoke, his anger dissipating. He immediately felt guilty for snapping at his little brother. Sure Damian could be a little brat and sometimes needed a good lecture, but yelling at him in the middle of a crowded place had been harsh. Plus he was only 10._

_Gently placing his hand on his brothers' shoulders, and hating himself when the boy flinched, Dick lowered his voice to a soothing murmur. "Hey...Dami. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell...let's just go home, okay? We can try shopping some other time." Damian gave another small nod and although he still his face down Dick felt a little tension leave his shoulders when Dick said they were going home. _

_"Come on then." Dick whispered to Damian. They walked out of the food court judgmental whispers following them. Dick's arm came to rest around his little brother's shoulders, attempting to protect him from the harsh words and disapproving eyes but knowing it was already too late. The damage was done._

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The two of them had spared for a few hours, releasing built up tension, and had forgiven each other not long afterwards. Not out loud of course, Damian would never apologize out loud, but no words were needed. A simple hair ruffle and "tt" were all the brothers needed to reassure them that there were no hard feelings. However, while they may have forgiven each other Gotham had yet to forgive Dick Grayson for his outburst. A visit to determine Damian's home situation was inevitable after the mall scene.

Dick was jolted out of his memories by the clink of the tea tray being placed beside him. He turned with a grateful smile to accept the hot cocoa from Alfred.

"Thanks Alfred, you're a lifesaver." Dick said before lightly blowing into the steamy cup. Alfred nodded and looked down at the letter in Dick's hand.

"I shall prepare for social service's visit next Thursday Master Richard. In the meantime, might I suggest you spend a little time with Master Damian? An improvement in your relationship would be the best course of action at this time." Dick nodded thoughtfully as he sipped his drink.

"Do you think I should tell Damian about the visit Alfred?" Dick couldn't stop the question that came out of his mouth. It had been bugging him since he'd first read the letter. Does he tell Damian about the impending social service visit so that he could be on his best behavior? Or should he just tell his brother that someone was coming to visit and let everything happen naturally? Either option could turn out to be disastrous.

Alfred looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I believe that is your decision to make Master Richard, not mine." He then left Dick alone down in the dark cave.

Dick sighed and placed the crinkled letter on the keyboard. It was a tough decision. When he was younger Bruce had never told him that their visitors were from social services. However, while Dick had been a happy child who loved Bruce like a dad, Damian... wasn't the most joyful child and his relationship with Dick wasn't the best. Anyone who really knew Damian could tell that he was happy and that he was fond of Dick but anyone who didn't understand the young bat would simply see a sullen child who constantly snapped at his family. Not exactly the perfect family image a social worker would be looking for.

Dick ran a hand through his disheveled hair and groaned. Why couldn't he get a normal little brother to train and raise? It would've made his life so much easier. He loved Damian, he really did. But at times like this...a normal little brother would be preferred. Another loud sigh echoed in the cave when Dick finally decided on a course of action; he wouldn't tell Damian about the social worker. They would act natural and hope for the best.

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'Something is wrong, something isn't right.' Damian had been thinking the same thoughts for the past week. He had gotten home from school last week and was immediately greeted by a smiling Grayson. That was normal and at first Damian hardly spared a glance towards his over excitable brother. Then Grayson had started speaking and Damian knew something was up. Grayson's usually light voice sounded deep, as if he'd like nothing more than to speak in his gravely Batman voice. That alone was reason to worry but then Damian turned to look at his brother. What Grayson wore on his face could hardly be called a smile; at least not compared to his usual smile. It was a simple baring of the teeth with no joyful emotion behind it that Damian could discern. That was when Damian had known that something was wrong.

All week long Damian had attempted to discover what was bothering Grayson but to no avail. He had asked Pennyworth and, although the butler stated he had no idea what Damian was talking about, he clearly sensed something was wrong with Grayson even if he didn't know what. A powerful tension hung in air around the manor; a feeling of impending trouble. It frustrated Damian to no end that he couldn't figure out what Grayson's behavior meant. Did Grayson get a girlfriend he didn't think Damian would approve of? Was he sick? Was he thinking of...removing Damian as Robin and reinstating Drake? The last one worried Damian the most but he doubted that outcome. Drake had his own identity now. Damian went through hundreds of possibilities in his head and yet he still had no idea.

Then late Wednesday afternoon Grayson had come up to Damian, stress and worry practically radiating from him, and told him that they were having an important guest tomorrow and that Damian should be on his best behavior. Outwardly Damian had scoffed at Grayson's words and walked away but on the inside he was anxious. All the signs pointed to their guest being the reason for Grayson's unease. Damian just couldn't understand why a guest to the manor should worry Grayson. The likelihood of said visitor finding the Batcave was very low... so what was Grayson afraid of?

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The sound of the doorbell echoed through the manor and Dick listened from Bruce's office as Alfred went to go greet their guest. From what he could hear the social worker was a man with a stern voice and a stiff posture (He could tell from the man's footsteps). In other words, this man meant business. Holding down his panic Dick went through his mental checklist. Batcave sealed, check. Manor clean, check. Damian presentable, check. Pants...Dick looked down, check. A soft knock sounded on the door and Dick took a deep breath.

"Come in." He said nervously smoothing down his hair as Alfred escorted the man inside.

The social worker was dressed in a black suit and tie, professional with no flash of playful color in his outfit. He had short brown hair and spectacles that kept slipping down his nose. He looked rather familiar. He already had a clipboard out and seemed to have started taking notes. He paused after entering the study to jot down something else before making his way to Dick.

"Mr. Wayne, pleasure to meet you. I'm Mr. Russell." The man stated as they shook hands. Dick started at the familiar voice, but couldn't place where he'd heard it before. Shaking off his curiosity he smiled and said,

"Pleasure's all mine Mr. Russell but please call me Mr. Grayson." Dick knew that the man would refuse to call him by his first name. Mr. Russell was far too formal to refer to anyone as 'Dick". His last name would have to do.

Mr. Russell however raised his eyebrows at Dick's statement. "Correct me if I am wrong but I do believe your legal documents have your name as Richard John Grayson Wayne."

Dick nodded with a self-conscious smile. "Well yeah, they do. But I've gone by Grayson my whole life and Wayne was always Bruce's name so..." Dick stopped talking when he caught the look of obvious disapproval. The man said nothing else to Dick though. He simply wrote something down on his clipboard while shaking his head.

Dick had almost forgotten how much he hated those clipboards. When he was a kid he was always worried when social workers of guidance counselors wrote things down on their clipboards; he worried he'd said something wrong. Right now, with the looks this man was giving him, he _knew_ he'd said something wrong... and man did that expression look familiar.

Mr. Russell pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and said, "If you would be so kind as to escort me to see the child, your...brother." The way the man paused and sneered before saying "brother" infuriated Dick. Who the hell was this guy to come into his house and ridicule him and his family relations!? He simply took a deep breath and smiled, pushing away his anger towards the man.

"Of course Mr. Russell, _Damian _is in the den, if you'll follow me." Dick put special emphasis on his little brother's name. He wouldn't permit this old man to call Damian child. It was rude and if Damian heard him say it they'd have problems. He then turned and led Mr. Russell to the den praying Damian would be on his best behavior.

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A soft knock sounded at the doorway. Damian looked up from his place on the floor where he had been coloring to see Grayson's head popping in.

"Hey Damian, mind if we come in?" Grayson asked, raising an eyebrow playfully when he saw Damian's drawings. Damian kept his face completely blank as he quickly stuffed his art under the rug, although he was blushing.

"Tt. It's your house Grayson. You can go wherever you want in it." Damian's harsh response was his attempt to hide his unease towards the situation. He wasn't stupid; he knew something wasn't right. Grayson would no doubt see right through his aloof mask but their guest would not.

Grayson and his "guest" entered the den. Damian scanned the man up and down and decided he wasn't the type of person Grayson would usually invite to the manor. He was dressed formally and had a stern countenance. Grayson's usual friends and acquaintances were loud and happy. The fact that this man was different from the others made Damian sure that this wasn't a friendly visit.

Damian wasn't sure if he liked the man. Of course he wouldn't judge the man just by his appearance. But from the moment they walked in Damian could tell that Grayson did not like their guest. His usually fluid movement was slightly jerky, as if he had a thorn jabbing his feet as he walked. Damian knew very few people that Grayson didn't like and most of them were bad guys. So Damian was uncertain about the man. Dick led their visitor into the den and over to Damian. As they stopped in front where he was lying down Grayson turned to the stranger with a forced smile on his face and said,

"Mr. Russell this is my little brother, Damian. Damian this is Mr. Russell...our guest." Grayson's prompting for proper behavior was unnecessary. Damian was well aware of how he should act towards a guest.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Russell." He said standing up and offering his hand to the stiff man. Mr. Russell didn't accept the handshake though. He simply nodded to Damian before turning back to Grayson.

"Mr. Wayne, if you don't mind would like some time alone with the child." Mr. Russell practically demanded. Damian scowled at the old man's back. He was not a child... and who was this man to demand anything of Grayson! In his own house! Damian opened his mouth to say so but held his tongue at the warning glare he received from his brother. Right. They were supposed to be _nice _to guests. Damian instead waited for Grayson to politely refuse the fool's demands. It was a foolish request anyway. Grayson would never leave Damian alone with this strange and unpleasant man.

"Of course Mr. Russell, I'll wait back in the study. Be good Damian and answer his questions." Grayson smile seemed more like a grimace as he agreed with their guest. He then left the room gently closing the door behind him.

If Damian had been uneasy before he was now a little worried. Grayson never left him alone with people who weren't trusted friends, he always kept Damian close in public and at parties. Partly because of Damian's social skills but mostly because Dick Grayson was an overprotective big brother. What was so special about this man that Grayson would leave Damian alone with him?

After Grayson left the room Mr. Russell turned to look at Damian. For a few minutes that was all the strange man did; look at him. Damian hid his obvious discomfort by ignoring the man's presence and resuming his coloring. Unfortunately for Damian, Mr. Russell would not be ignored.

"Damian Wayne..." Damian looked up from coloring his cats eyes and politely waited for the man to say more, despite the urge to continue ignoring him. "You refer to your older brother by his former families name instead of his first name or your family name. Why is that?"

'Former families name? No wonder Grayson doesn't like this man?' Damian thought absently while quickly formulating an appropriate answer to the question. Confident in his response Damian opened his mouth to reply but Mr. Russell didn't give him that chance.

"Is it because you feel he doesn't belong in your family or isn't worthy of the name?"

"No!" Damian exclaimed, nearly as surprised as Mr. Russell was at his exclamation. That was what he had always told Grayson, wasn't it? That he wasn't worthy of the Wayne family name or the cowl. Hearing someone else say it though, made Damian angry. At least Damian didn't really mean it.

Mr. Russell's beady eyes were bright with interest behind his spectacles as he jotted some notes down on a clipboard. Damian stared in shock at the clipboard. Where did that come from? What was he writing? Was he a reporter? Why the hell did Grayson bring a reporter into the house!? Damian prepared to tell the man that he should leave, however Mr. Russell wasn't done with him yet.

"Do you perhaps call him Grayson because his common name _Dick_ is uncomfortable to say? Does it remind you of bad times with your brother or perhaps your father?" Mr. Russell's eyes were fixated on Damian's face as his words set in.

Damian felt his mouth fall open and eyes grow wide even as his cheeks flushed. Was this man suggesting that Grayson and his Father...that sick bastard! Damian's face quickly transformed from surprise to anger. It took all of his willpower not to leap at the insolent reporter and break his nose. He clenched his fists tightly and hissed,

"You are a sick bastard! Grayson has never lay a hand on me and neither did my father! We're a family you pervert; not a harem!"

Mr. Russell didn't seem perturbed at all by Damian's fury. In fact he seemed to get excited by the boy's obvious emotional state. He smirked, wrote something on his clipboard, then looked up at Damian.

"Well it's quite obvious to me that your brother doesn't care for you at all. So I could think of no other reason for him to keep you around." Mr. Russell sneered at Damian, whose face had gone pale at his words. "After all, if he really cared about you he wouldn't of left you with me and he wouldn't have yelled at you in the mall."

Damian's anger had completely dissipated at this point. The man's words resurfacing insecurities that Damian had buried within himself. Grayson had yelled at him in the mall...but he was just angry, that didn't mean that he didn't care about Damian...right? Damian wasn't so sure anymore.

"That's not true." Damian heard the slight waver in his voice and hated himself for it. He should be stronger than this. It shouldn't even matter to Damian if Grayson didn't like him; except it did. "Grayson cares for me."

Mr. Russell gave a harsh laugh at Damian's weak denial and leaned over him as he spoke. "Oh please, even a child such as yourself must realize that, in your brother's eyes, you are just a weak replacement for your father." Mr. Russell's eyes were bright with malice and Damian found it difficult to compare this personality with the man's original one.

Damian's body began to tremble at the man's words and his chest felt extremely tight. It was a lie. Everything this man was saying was a lie. Grayson himself had told Damian on countless occasions that he loved him.

'But maybe he wasn't really talking to you.' A voice in his head whispered. 'Maybe he was talking to your father. He's told you time and time again how similar the two of you look. Maybe Mr. Russell is right; Grayson has never cared for you.'

"No! Stop telling me this!" Damian yelled jerking away from the man looming over him. He covered his ears, desperate to silence the traitorous voice in his head and Mr. Russell's harsh words. But Mr. Russell wasn't done with him yet.

"I don't think so boy!" Mr. Russell snarled as he wretched Damian's hands away from his ears. Damian, who could usually break the hold of even the strongest man, was fantically twisting and jerking in the man's grip to no avail.

"It's time you heard the truth about you perfect little family, starting with the truth that all of them hate you. You eldest brother hates you the most. I can see it when he looks at you. If I had to guess I'd say he blames you for the death of his precious father figure and can only stand to be around you because you resemble him."

"That's a lie!" Damian screamed finally freeing one hand which he then jabbed into Mr. Russell's gut. The man reeled away and kneeled over holding his stomach. Damian, who was now free, scrambled backwards until his back hit the far wall. Mr. Russell stood shakily and walked towards a trembling Damian.

He stopped a few yard away then leaned over him and hissed, "Your family doesn't give a damn about you and who can blame them. You're such a failure. They must be ashame-"

A loud bang interrupted Mr. Russell, who jerked around just in time to see Dick Grayson's fist slam into his face. The force of the punch threw Mr. Russell across the room where he then collapsed in a heap. Dick stood right in front of Damian, shaking in rage with a murderous expression on his face. He went to move forward, intent on beating the man within every inch of his life for what he just said, but a jerk of his sleeve stopped him.

Dick looked down and his heart nearly broke at what he saw. Damian was kneeling on the ground, his trembling hand clinging to Dick's arm, with tears running down his face; a face which Dick had never seen so distraught. Dick knelt down in front of Damian, rage giving way to compassion, and began to wipe the tears from his little brother's face.

"Oh Damian...I'm so sorry. I had no idea that he would-" Dick words were cut off as Damian flung his arms around him, shaking like a leaf.

Dick murmured soft reassurances into the boy's black hair as he cried. Dick himself had tears running down his face. He had only heard the last few sentences of Mr. Russell's attack but even that was enough for Dick to understand what Damian was feeling. Dick had brought this man into their house and purposefully left him alone with Damian. That simple fact coupled with the doubts that Mr. Russell had brought to the surface had left Damian questioning his worth. Dick felt horrible. This was his fault. He'd been the one who had left Damian alone with that man even though he had sensed something was off about him. He should have known better.

"Dick..." Damian whispered into his shirt. Time froze as Dick looked down to meet his brother teary but determined eyes. His next whisper was slightly scared, "Was he...right?"

"No! Everything that man said was a lie, you know that. You're not a failure; in fact you're quite the opposite. You get fantastic grades with minimal effort and you're the best Robin a Batman could ask for. Sure you're annoying sometimes but that's your job as my little brother. in fact, and don't tell Timmy, you're my favorite little brother." Damian let out a choked up –Tt- and buried his face back into Dick's chest.

"Why did you bring a reporter into the manor, anyway Grayson? Even an idiot like you must have known that to be a foolish idea." Damian mumbled into his mentor's shirt. Dick smiled at the insult to his intelligence then frowned as the first sentence set in.

"Mr. Russell isn't a reporter Damian. He's a social worker." Damian tensed in his arms at the word. Dick tried to keep him out of cases involving children but Damian was a smart kid. He'd no doubt hacked into all of those case files the second after Dick had benched him. "I had no choice but to let him into the manor." Dick felt Damian's hands fist into his shirt; clinging to him.

"Why was a social worker here?" Damian questioned in a whisper, his tone wary and uncertain. He knew enough about social workers from the case files to know that they were usually only involved in child abuse or neglect cases. He wasn't sure what one coming to the manor meant.

"I, well at least Gotham thinks that I, haven't- that I'm not..." Damian looked up at Dick anxiously as he stopped babbling. Dick then let out a heavy sigh and said, "Mr. Russell was sent here because I haven't been a good big brother to you."

Dick looked down at Damian, expecting to see anger or reproach, and was surprised to see that the little bird looked confused. "What do you mean you haven't been a good big brother? True you've only been my guardian for 5 months but you've already talked to me more than Father did in the 4 months I stayed with him. How does that constitute as bad?"

"Damian...Gotham doesn't see our home life. They only see us when we go out, and when we go out you're usually angry at me for forcing you. Remember the mall scene?" Damian's small flinch at the memory was answer enough for Dick. "How do you think that looked to them? It doesn't help that the school nurse saw your bruises last time you went to be patched up after a school fight. It took me a week to fabricate a story and convince the school that I wasn't beating you. Do you understand why now?"

Damian nodded eyes still locked with Dick's, but now instead of confusion his eyes glittered with fear. Dick grinned and ruffled Damian hair, the lack of response showing just how upset Damian truly was, then he pulled Damian into a tight hug and whispered,

"Don't worry Little D, I won't let Mr. Russell take you away. You're gonna stay right where you belong; with your family." Damian tightened his grip around Dick's middle clearly not believing him. Dick grabbed his little brother arms and loosened them until he could see Damian's face. Dick smiled gently and tilted Damian chin up. "Hey, I promise okay? I won't let anyone take you away."

Damian scoffed and turned away, but not before Dick saw the look of relief on his face. Dick stood and offered his hand to Damian who was still a little shaky. They both walked over to the unconscious body of Mr. Russell and stared at him. Then Dick smirked as an idea came to him. He quickly whipped out his cellphone, ignoring Damian's questioning gaze, and dialed an old friend.

"Hey Clark, do you have J'onn's cell number?"

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J'onn J'onzz usually would never tamper with people's memories, it wasn't right. He made an exception this time for two reasons. The first and most simple reason was that he owed Dick quite a few favors; for saving him during missions and for securing a place for Miss Martian with the Teen Titans. The other reason was a bit more complicated.

When J'onn had arrived and Dick had asked him to alter Mr. Russell's memory he had looked into the man's mind to see just what he had to change and was surprised by what he found. Mr. Russell had known Dick back when Bruce had first took him in. According to J'onn Mr. Russell had been Dick's third grade teacher. That's not all he was though.

Apparently he had been obsessed with Dick and had tried to kidnap him. When J'onn told Dick this, all the memories came rushing back. He was nine-years-old and had just taken the mantle of Robin. Mr. Russell used to help Dick with his school work. English being his second language made school a little difficult for Dick in the beginning. Dick remembered feeling uncomfortable every time the man put a hand on his shoulder...he'd never thought much of the feeling back then.

Then one day Mr. Russell had suggested that Dick come with him to the library after school to study. Dick was a crime fighter, a young one sure, but he knew a kidnapping when he saw one. He had rejected the offer and attempted to get away but Mr. Russell had cornered him. The man had tried convincing him that it would be fun and then, when that failed, he had lashed out. He had said horrible things about Bruce and Dick, separately and together. The confrontation was extremely similar to what Damian had been put through, even the ending. Mr. Russell had been yelling that he was the only one that cared for Dick and that Bruce was just using him when Bruce had kicked down the classroom door and ripped Mr. Russell away from him. The man had been fired the next day and Dick had forgotten all about him until now.

The man had thought that taking Damian away from Dick would be the perfect revenge for Dick escaping him all those years ago. After discovering all of this J'onn had agreed to alter the man's memories. Alfred had then escorted the dazed man to his car and sent him off.

'With any luck we'll never hear from social services again.' Dick thought as he lay in bed that night. The visit had put him off though, no doubt about that. Dick had never considered that someone with a personal grudge against him would come after his brother. It was unnerving. Dick looked down at the ebony sleeping on his chest. Damian looked almost like a normal child when he slept; relaxed and happy. Dick wished that he really could be relaxed and happy. Their life as vigilantes would give him neither relaxation nor happiness. Dick wrapped his arms around the sleeping boy unconsciously and was surprised when Damian snuggled closer in response. Dick smiled, Damian would never have a normal life or be a normal child and Gotham might see that as bad. But Damian wouldn't have it any other way and neither would Dick. They liked being different, together.

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**Finally done! Yay! I am sorry it took so long but you guys are great. Seriously even after not updating my stories for months you still reviewed and that kept me going. I'll have another chapter out for you soon and the next chapter is a request from one of my amazing reviewers. I hope you liked this story. Even if you didn't you should review anyway so that I know what to fix. ( For those of you who don't know J'onn J'onzz is Martian Manhunter). ****Review!**


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